This book explores the subject of gravity in a fresh way taking the reader from Newton to the
frontiers of gravitational physics. Per Einstein's general theory of relativity gravity is a
manifestation of the curvature of spacetime and this is an excellent and robust framework for
understanding gravity in many situations. However physicists nowadays also often understand
gravity as the manifestation of a fundamental particle - the graviton - in the same way that we
understand electromagnetism as the manifestation of the photon. And in the very same way that
we can see light which is nothing other than an electromagnetic wave propagating through space
and time we can now hear gravity in the form of gravitational waves (waves in the very fabric
of spacetime). As we celebrate 6 years since the first direct detection of gravitational waves
the reality of these waves predicted by Einstein's theory of gravity is now unquestionable.
They offer a cutting-edge opportunity to decipher the many mysteries that our Universe is still
hiding. What is the origin of the Universe? What are the dark components of the Universe that
explain its structure and evolution? What is our fate? In The Beauty of Falling de Rahm will
explore these mysteries building up a palpable portrait of gravity - what we know and don't
know.The book begins with the Newtonian notion of gravitational force and quickly proceeds to
Einstein's theory of relativity while revealing how much more of our picture there is yet to
uncover. The author will emphasize that General Relativity predicts its own downfall and where
the theory breaks down - at the particle level - is exactly where scientists are focusing in
their search for new physics. The author brings the reader to a new gravitational frontier and
in doing so introduces her own work - a theory of massive gravity.While Einstein's theory of
gravity assumes that the graviton is massless massive gravity suggests an alternative - that
the graviton may indeed have mass and a finite range meaning that it switches off at
cosmological scales. This would explain the current accelerating expansion of the universe that
is observed. The author interweaves her personal history and research trajectory throughout
explaining the science but also highlighting the adventure of research the thrill of
questioning nature and challenging it in its deepest realization and the excitement of
discovering something entirely new. The story contains setbacks and breakthroughs from the
challenge of being a woman in a field where the representation of women is typically less than
10% to dealing with the aftermath of challenging the previous claims of a generation of senior
scientists (most of whom are men)--
